“One?!”
“I didn’t even know that was possible! How the hell are you even alive, man?” Marco asked, staring in disbelief. “You told me you were born with low attributes—but not that low!”
Elias scratched the back of his head, embarrassed by Marco and Rebecca’s reactions, while Isabela puffed out her small chest and harrumphed in satisfaction.
This was exactly why he avoided telling people the exact level of Vitality he’d been born with. At best, they were shocked and pitied him. At worst, they called him a liar.
And he hated that.
“Well, I take back what I said,” Rebecca said gently, her eyes still wide. “I’m sorry. I just assumed you were one of those guys who wait until all their attributes are above ten before even starting to build their foundation, using a bunch of expensive potions as a substitute for hard work.”
“Well… that last part isn’t actually that far off,” Elias admitted. “I’m practically using a recovery potion every training session. In my defense, I’m using them to buy time, not comfort. Vitality wasn’t the only low attribute I was born with. My Strength was at level four. At least my mental attributes were decent, and those are the hardest to train anyway.”
“Jeez, man. I’m actually starting to feel bad over here,” Marco said with a laugh, his jovial tone returning as he recovered from the shock. “What did you do in your past life to deserve this?”
“Maybe he mistreated his little sister,” Isabela suggested sweetly, “like not buying her dessert when they went out together.”
Elias rolled his eyes. He’d noticed her not-so-subtle glances at the sweet stalls, along with the pointing and nudging.
Their conversation quieted when the food arrived, broken only by the occasional sound of enjoyment.
It wasn’t quite as good as the cheeseburger Elias had eaten with Marco the other day, but it was delicious nonetheless. Then again, he was pretty sure the cook then had been an actual chef, with proper Skills related to cooking. Cheese didn’t melt like that naturally.
“I guess you were telling the truth—the burritos here are really good,” Elias said as he finished eating.
“Told you,” Rebecca replied smugly. “But I have to admit, I’m kind of sick of always eating the same thing.”
“Wait, you’ve never tried the other stalls?” Marco asked, surprised.
“Of course I’ve tried them, but I’m here every day, you know? The food’s pretty expensive, and I’m saving up to perfect my foundation,” she explained. “Both my physical and mental foundations are already well-developed since I’ve been spending all my money on potions and elixirs. It’s just... really hard to take that final step from good to perfect.”
“That’s already really impressive, to be honest,” Elias said encouragingly, noticing how she glanced down and to the sides as she spoke. “My parents are trainers, so they’re helping me with everything, but I know how expensive the right training aids can get.”
“Thanks! It definitely hasn’t been easy, but I’m getting there,” Rebecca said with a dazzling smile, the pride on her face unmistakable.
“Heh! I think you two need to pick up the pace, or I’m going to leave you both in the dust,” Marco said with a laugh. “As soon as I hit level ten in all my attributes, my dad’s taking me somewhere to perfect my foundation. I’ll probably reach Beginner rank in just over a month.”
“Show-off,” Isabela scoffed, earning a round of laughter—and even a playful boo from Rebecca.
As the group continued chatting, Isabela finally decided on her dessert.
After much deliberation, and a quick consultation with Rebecca, she settled on a chocolate chip muffin from a nearby stall. Caught up in the excitement of having lunch with friends and feeling generous, Elias bought one for everyone, earning cheers from his companions.
Each chocolate chip on the muffin was a different color and shape, making it look more like it was encrusted with jewels than filled with chocolate.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
When Elias took a bite, each chip delivered a unique sensation. Some popped on his tongue like fireworks, others crunched like ice beneath his teeth—yet all of them still tasted like chocolate. The warm dough carried a rich vanilla flavor that tied it all together.
It was delicious.
Unfortunately, just as he was about to take a second bite, they were interrupted by a tall young man with a gleaming silver mace strapped to his side.
“Hey, Rebecca. Haven’t seen you around in a while,” the man said, a cocky grin plastered on his face as he stepped in close.
She shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back slightly.
“Hello, Jake. I guess not,” she replied drily.
“Guess what? I just reached Beginner rank yesterday,” Jake announced, unprompted.
He raised a hand into the air, and it began to glow a soft blue. A bolt of mana shot upward, arcing nearly ten meters into the sky before destabilizing and dissipating into the air.
“Why don’t you party up with me?” he continued. “I could buy you those potions you needed and we could hit the Beginner zone together.”
“No, thanks,” Rebecca replied curtly, already turning her back on him.
Jake’s expression darkened. “What?! Why not? I know you need money to perfect your foundation. I’ll give it to you if—”
“I’ve already told you, Jake—I don’t need your money! Now get lost and stop bothering me already!” Rebecca snapped, spinning back around with a fierce glare.
Jake’s smirk finally twisted into a snarl, but before he could respond, Elias stepped in.
“You should leave,” Elias said firmly, setting his stance in case things turned aggressive.
Jake turned to him, giving him a slow once-over before sneering and brushing him off.
“Shut up, pipsqueak,” he said dismissively.
Elias' face twitched at the insult. He stepped forward, now more than ready to teach the man a lesson—and for more reasons than one.
He might not look like much, but Elias was confident he could beat the arrogance out of some random level 10 Beginner. If Jake had been a higher-level fighter like the man who’d robbed him a few days ago, that would’ve been a different story. But by Jake’s own admission, that wasn’t the case.
Still, before Elias could act, Marco stepped forward.
“You heard her,” he said, voice low and steady. “Leave. Now.”
Jake scoffed and shoved at him, but Marco simply shifted his stance and tensed. With practiced ease, he caught Jake’s extended arm, yanked him off balance, and used his other hand to grab his shoulder—twisting and shoving him away from Rebecca.
Jake stumbled, scrambled to regain his footing, and as soon as he steadied himself, he charged back toward Marco, fury blazing in his eyes. Mana sparked around his hands as he prepared to use a Skill, but a commanding voice cut through the tension.
“That’s enough!”
Rebecca’s father stepped out slowly from behind the burrito stall, his expression thunderous. A Journeyman’s aura surged from him like a crashing waterfall—and the group froze beneath the overwhelming weight of the stronger adventurer’s gaze.
Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the pressure vanished.
Jake hesitated, his bravado crumbling. After a final glare, he turned and stomped away without another word.
“Are you all right?” Marco asked, his posture finally relaxing.
“Yes. Thanks, Marco,” Rebecca said with a small smile. “You too, Elias.”
With the situation resolved, Rebecca’s father retreated behind the counter. But before he did, he locked eyes with Marco and Elias, nodding once—slow and firm. A gesture of respect. A big step up from how he’d regarded Elias the last time.
Elias nodded back silently, but his heart wasn’t in it. His eyes drifted downward, and his fists clenched—simmering with anger.
He felt a nudge at his side and looked down to see Kitty poking him with a paw. She stared into his eyes for a long moment, then turned away and swished him with her tail.
The message was clear.
He sighed, and the tension eased.
“Are you alright too, Elias?” Marco asked, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t stress over guys like that. There are always assholes around, no matter where you go. You can’t let them get to you.”
“It’s not that,” Elias said, his voice tight. “I’m just pissed at how he dismissed me—like I wasn’t even there.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Rebecca said reassuringly. “Like you said, you’re still catching up with your attributes. It’s okay that you couldn’t handle someone like Jake yet—you’ll get there eventually.”
“That’s what makes me angry,” Elias said, his voice rising with heat. “I might not be very strong yet, but I can fight better than some random Beginner. I could have handled him.”
“I don’t know, man,” Marco said, doubt clear in his voice.
Elias narrowed his eyes, prompting him to elaborate.
“I’m not saying you couldn’t handle him,” Marco continued, “but strength still matters—a lot. I saw you getting ready to step in, but I’m nearly level ten in all my attributes, with a near-perfect foundation. I can fight better than most Beginners too, so I figured there was no reason for you to be the one to face that Jake guy.”
“You know what? Maybe you’re right,” Elias said, flashing him a predatory smile. “But I don’t think you really understand just how well I can fight.”
“How about we finally have that spar we talked about and I show you?”